APNewsBreak: 'The Lion King' makes history

FILE - In this May 2, 2010 file photo, theater goers pour out of a matinee showing of 'The Lion King' at the Minskoff Theatre in New York. With a worldwide gross of over $6.2 billion, "The Lion King" stage musical has now achieved the most successful box office total of any work in any media in entertainment history.

NEW YORK — Here's something the folks at Disney can take real pride in: "The Lion King" is the top ticket of all time.

With a worldwide gross of over $6.2 billion, "The Lion King" stage musical has now achieved the most successful box office total of any work in any media in entertainment history, The Associated Press has learned.

The show quietly took over top spot from "The Phantom of the Opera" late this summer, according to representatives from both shows.

The total makes "The Lion King" more valuable than any single Harry Potter film, the blockbuster "Titanic," or any of the "Star Wars" movies. By way of comparison, the highest-grossing film in history is "Avatar," with nearly $2.8 billion worldwide.